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List of first overall NBA draft picks
The National Basketball Association's first overall pick is the player who is selected first among all eligible draftees by a team during the annual National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft. The first pick is awarded to the team that wins the NBA Draft Lottery; in most cases, that team had a losing record in the previous season. The team with the first pick attracts plenty of media attention, as does the player who is selected with that pick. Ten first picks have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award: Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (record six-time winner), Bill Walton, Magic Johnson (three-time winner), Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan (two-time winner), and LeBron James (two-time winner). China's Yao Ming (2002) and Italy's Andrea Bargnani (2006) are the only two players without competitive experience in the United States to be drafted first overall. Five other international players with U.S. college experience have been drafted first overall—Mychal Thompson (Bahamas) in 1978, Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria) in 1984, Tim Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands) in 1997, Michael Olowokandi (Nigeria) in 1998, and Andrew Bogut (Australia) in 2005. Duncan is an American citizen, but is considered an "international" player by the NBA because he was not born in one of the fifty states or Washington, D.C. Note that the drafts between 1947 and 1949 were held by the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The Basketball Association of America became the National Basketball Association after absorbing teams from the National Basketball League in the fall of 1949. Official NBA publications include the BAA Drafts as part of the NBA's draft history. Key List of first overall picks Notes * All statistics are taken from the players' respective rookie season unless otherwise noted. * Clifton McNeely never played professional basketball. Instead, he became a basketball coach for Pampa High School in Texas. * Howie Shannon was the first overall pick, although Ed Macauley and Vern Mikkelsen had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks. * Charlie Share did not play in the . His rookie statistics are from the . Share was the first overall pick, although Paul Arizin had been taken before the draft as the Philadelphia Warriors' territorial pick. * Gene Melchiorre never played in the NBA. He was banned for life from the NBA due to his involvement in the CCNY Point Shaving Scandal. Melchiorre was the first overall pick, although Myer Skoog had been taken before the draft as the Minneapolis Lakers' territorial pick. * Mark Workman was the first overall pick, although Bill Mlkvy had been taken before the draft as the Philadelphia Warriors' territorial pick. * Ray Felix was the first overall pick, although Ernie Beck and Walter Dukes had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks. * Dick Ricketts was the first overall pick, although Dick Garmaker and Tom Gola had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks. * Sihugo Green was the first overall pick, although Tom Heinsohn had been taken before the draft as the Boston Celtics' territorial pick. * Elgin Baylor was the first overall pick, although Guy Rodgers had been taken before the draft as the Philadelphia Warriors' territorial pick. * Bob Boozer was the first overall pick, although Wilt Chamberlain and Bob Ferry had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks. * Bill McGill was the first overall pick, although Dave DeBusschere and Jerry Lucas had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks. * Art Heyman was the first overall pick, although Tom Thacker had been taken before the draft as the Cincinnati Royals' territorial pick. * Jim Barnes was the first overall pick, although Walt Hazzard and George Wilson had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks. * Fred Hetzel was the first overall pick, although Bill Bradley, Bill Buntin and Gail Goodrich had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks. * Before the 1971–72 season, Lew Alcindor converted to Islam and changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. * David Thompson played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) in the 1975–76 season and did not play in the NBA until 1976. His rookie statistics are from the . * Hakeem Olajuwon was born in Nigeria, but became a naturalized United States citizen in 1993. When he arrived in the United States, the University of Houston incorrectly spelled his first name "Akeem". Olajuwon used that spelling until March 9, 1991, when he announced that he would add an H. * Patrick Ewing was born in Jamaica, but had become a naturalized United States citizen while at Georgetown. He represented the United States at the 1984 Summer Olympics. * David Robinson did not play in the NBA until 1989 due to commitments to the United States Navy. His rookie statistics are from the . * Tim Duncan is a United States citizen by birth, as are all natives of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Because of this citizenship arrangement, Duncan has played for the U.S. internationally. * Elton Brand shared Rookie of the Year honors with Steve Francis of the Houston Rockets. * Greg Oden underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee before the , and missed the entire season. His rookie statistics are from the . * Blake Griffin injured his left kneecap in a pre-season game. He underwent a surgery in January 2010 and missed the entire season. This makes him a rookie in the . References ;General * ;Specific Category:National Basketball Association Draft